Cauliflower Gratin

This cauliflower gratin skips the heavy cream sauce that most gratins rely on and builds its flavor from a punchy Mediterranean dressing instead. Olive oil, anchovy paste, capers, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard get blended smooth and drizzled over blanched florets before a final crisp-up under Parmesan bread crumbs.

Blanching the cauliflower in salted water with milk keeps the florets white and adds a subtle sweetness. Shocking them under cold water right after stops the cooking so they stay crisp-tender through the long bake.

The anchovy paste dissolves into the dressing and provides a deep, savory umami backbone without any fishy taste. If you’ve never used it in vegetable dishes, this is the recipe that’ll convert you. The capers and Dijon add briny sharpness that wakes up the mild cauliflower.

Forty-five minutes on the upper shelf gives the bread crumb topping time to turn properly golden and crunchy.

Kitchen Tips

• Spread the florets in a single layer so they all get coated with dressing and crisp up evenly. Piled-up cauliflower steams instead of roasting.
• Use fresh bread crumbs, not dried. They toast up lighter and crunchier in the oven.
• Blend the dressing until completely smooth. Chunks of caper or anchovy create uneven seasoning.
• Serve hot or warm. The topping loses its crunch once it cools completely.

Variations

• Broccoli gratin: Swap cauliflower for broccoli florets, reducing the blanching time to 2 minutes.
• Extra crispy: Add a tablespoon of melted butter to the bread crumb mixture before sprinkling for a richer, crunchier top.
• Herb crust: Mix chopped fresh thyme or rosemary into the bread crumbs for an herby, fragrant topping.